Rail-joint



(No Model.)

A. L. GOLDSMITH.

RAIL JOINT.

No. 596,206. Patented Dec. 28,1897.

ITNESSES 11v VENTOR flhri'l. Golds mvtig Atlomey Mrs STATES ATENT FFTCE.

ALBERT L. GOLDSMITH, OF NEWV HAVEN, CONNECTICUT.

RAIL-JOINT.

SFECIFIOATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 596,206, dated December 28, 1897. Application fil d January 23, 1897. Serial No. 620,348. (No model.)

To 01/ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT L. GOLDSMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at New Haven, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in'Rail-Joints and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in rail-joints; and it consists of certain novel constructions, combinations, .and arrangements of parts, all of which will be hereinafter more particularly set forth and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 represents a perspective View of the ends of two rails connected according to my invention. Fig. 2 represents a bottom plan view of the same. Fig. 3 represents a central vertical transverse section through one of the rails and the joint, and Fig. 4. represents an enlarged detail perspective view of the joining portion.

1 1 in the drawings represent the respective rails, and 2 my improved joining-piece. Each rail lis formed with an extended tread portion 3, having a longitudinal groove 4 formed in its under side. Each of said rails is also provided with an extended base portion 5, having a longitudinal slot 6 and lateral extending slots 7 7 joining the same. The joining-piece 2 comprises a vertical web 8, reduced at its upper edge, as at 9, to form shoulders 10 10. Said vertical web '8 is provided at the lower edge at each end of each side with a lateral projection 11. When the rails are placed down over the joining-piece 2, the vertical web 8 passes through the respective slots 6 and the reduced portion 9 of the same enters the slots 4:, formed in the under side of the treads of the rail, the under side of said treads resting upon the shoulders 10 at the same time the lateral projections 11 enter the lateral extending slots 7, and thus prevent any longitudinal movement of the rails independently of each other. The joints are adapted to come directly over the tie or sleeper, but should it happen that this could not be arranged in the construction of the road auxiliary chairs 12, having rail-receiving recesses 13, are adapted to be slid over the respective ends of the rails and hold the connecting-plate 2 in position and prevent its dropping down away from the rails. When the rails are used in connection with sleepers, the ends of the same are secured down in position by suit-able spikes in the usual manner.

It will be observed that by the use of my invention the ends of the rails are joined Without the use of bolts, nuts, or fish-plates and in such a manner as to form one continuous unbroken surface on which there are no projections.

When my improved rails are employed and secured in position, as before described, it is impossible for the same to move laterally or longitudinally independent of each other, because of the peculiar construction of the connect-ing-plate. The treads 3 of the projecting rails are also held firmly in position against any lateral movement by the reduced portion 9 of the connecting-plate entering the grooves 4 of said treads. When the auxiliary chairs 12 are employed, the same are held in position and prevented from slipping longitudinally upon the rails by keys 15, which comprise doubled loops passed through suitable apertures formed in the flanges of the chair and the rail and having their ends bent in opposite directions to clench them in position.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination with rails having overhanging extended tread portions projecting longitudinally from their ends, and extended base portions formed with lateral recesses and lying under the extended tread portions, of a joining-piece applied between the ends of the rails in alinement with the vertical webs and having lateral extensions adapted to enter the recesses of the base; the construction being such that the joining-piece lies beneath or supports the overhanging tread portions while the lateral projections prevent the rails from separating longitudinally, substantially as described.

2. The combination with rails having overhanging extended tread portions projecting longitudinally from their ends, of extended base portions lying under said tread portions and each formed with a longitudinal passage and lateral recesses comm unieating with the same, and a joining-piece applied under the overhanging tread portions between the ends of the rails so that it lies in the longitudinal passages of the base portion, and lateral projections upon said joining-piece adapted to enter the lateral recesses of the base portions, substantially as described.

3. The combination with rails having extended tread portions grooved upon their under sides and laterally-extendin g slots formed in their bases, of a connecting-piece adapted to enter the slots of the tread portions and support the latter and provided with lateral extensions adapted to enter the lateral recesses of the base, substantially as described.

4. The combination with rails having extended tread portions provided upon their under sides with longitudinal grooves and lateral recesses formed in the base portions, of a connecting-piece having a reduced upper edge adapted to enter the grooves of the treads, and lateral projections adapted to 011- ter the lateral recesses of the base, substantially as described.

5. The combination with rails having extended tread portions formed with longitudinal grooves upon their under sides and extended base portions having longitudinal and lateral slots, of a joining-piece adapted to enter the slots of the treads and support the latter, and having lateral projections adapted to enter the recesses of the bases and prevent any longitudinal movement of the rails, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

ALBERT L. GOLDSMITH.

Witnesses:

FREDERICK J. BUCK, BENJAMIN FLEMMING. 

